Apple's 10th-generation iPad brings new features that stand out against even the company's high-end tablets — including a landscape-oriented front facing camera — but should this feature come to other iPad models? The base-model iPad has historically been an affordable tablet that withheld flagship features in an effort to keep prices low. That's changed with the 10th-gen iPad, which has been overhauled and provides similar features to the iPad Air and iPad Pro.
The company's initial intention for the iPad as a portrait-oriented tablet was also reflected in the device's accessories. The first Apple keyboard for iPad was a dock-style accessory that saw the iPad connect via the 30-pin Dock Connector in a portrait orientation. This began to change as the tablet gained features and became more of a laptop alternative. Now, most keyboards and cases for iPads are designed to be used primarily in landscape orientation, but the front cameras on many models continue to remain in portrait orientation.
For many people, a landscape-oriented iPad camera was a highly-requested feature. Video calls and conferences are tightly integrated into personal and professional communication in a post-pandemic world. Though Apple's Center Stage and other software features aim to make a portrait camera view look better in landscape orientation, it isn't perfect. Using the iPad's front facing camera in landscape orientation tends to look awkward. This is fixed on the 10th-generation iPad, as Apple moved the camera's location to the top of the tablet in landscape orientation. But should this change be brought to other iPads?
Landscape Cameras Have Other Implications
Since the iPad's front-facing camera was housed at the top of the device in a portrait orientation for so many generations, much of the tablet's internals were built around the camera. With the camera at the top of the iPad in portrait orientation, the sides of the device were freed up to add tech like the Smart Connector or the magnetic connector used to charge the second-gen Apple Pencil. As such, Apple needs to be careful before moving the camera to a different location, as it would disrupt other internal components. For example, on the iPad 10, there is no second-gen Apple Pencil support. Though it has not been confirmed, this may be because the landscape camera leaves no extra room for a magnetic Apple Pencil connector.
Moving the iPad's front facing camera to the side of the device would be excellent for video calls. The iPad is generally used in landscape orientation these days, and a landscape camera better fits that usage. However, due to the way many of the iPad's internal components are housed, the inclusion of a landscape-oriented camera would likely require a design overhaul. Apple would need to move different components to different locations, which may call for a completely new iPad design. Until this design is introduced, adding a landscape camera to the iPad Air or Pro would only cause more problems in daily use. However, it looks like more of a when — and not if — Apple brings a landscape camera to more iPad models.
Source: Apple